For many ski resorts, the profitable season is short, being limited to the time when snow is on the slopes. To attract patronage at other times, some resorts have installed additional recreational facilities for use during the off period. Especially popular are mountain slides which provide an all-weather slippery path down which riders glide on mats or sleds.
Typically, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,300, the glide path is a long serpentine dished chute waxed on the inner surface. The rider sits on a special mat provided with a friction brake. For greater thrill and speed, the mat may be replaced by a sled with retractable wheels, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,973,785. With either, the rider can exert very little control apart from braking. There being no steering mechanism, he can adjust orientation relative to the slide only to a very limited extent, as by shifting his weight. If, in sliding, uneven friction causes the vehicle to drift away from the centerline of the chute and to rub against a side portion, slowing it down, the rider may have difficulty returning it to the speedier center. He can also do little to regulate his lateral position on the slide as he goes through banked turns. Thus, except for minor variations due to differences in their weights and in their braking, successive riders experience nearly identical rides, and there is no real opportunity for competition in speed or skill.
Another type of slide, as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,949,680, is a sled-like roller coaster running on a double-rail track carried on elevated trusswork. In this system also, the wheeled vehicle cannot be steered on the track and there is scant possibility of competitive racing.
Slides of both these types are designed to remain in place year-round. A resort cannot readily install one on a regular ski slope for summer use and remove it for storage as winter approaches. Additional land must be committed permanently to the slide.